Nearly 13 years after the deadly Maoist ambush on a Congress convoy in Chhattisgarh, a special NIA court in Jagdalpur has sentenced 10 convicts to death in connection with the 2013 Jhiram Ghati massacre, in which 29 people were killed.
The attack took place on May 25, 2013, when Maoists targeted the Congress party’s ‘Parivartan Yatra’ in the Darbha area of Bastar. Among the prominent victims were then Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee president Nandkumar Patel, senior Congress leader Mahendra Karma and former Union minister Vidyacharan Shukla.
According to the prosecution case, the attackers first triggered an IED blast and then blocked the road by cutting down trees. Armed Maoists positioned in the surrounding forests subsequently opened fire on the convoy and separated political leaders from security personnel.
The 10 convicts sentenced to death are Pramila Modiyam, Sumitra Punem, Kosa Kawasi, Mukka Mandavi, Markami Deva, Aayat Markam, Bajami Sena, Chaitu Lekam, Joga Markami and Mahadev Naga. They are currently lodged in central jail.
The case involved a lengthy trial during which the court recorded statements of 101 witnesses and examined substantial documentary evidence. The NIA had submitted a charge sheet running to around 1,000 pages in 2015.
The proceedings initially involved 11 accused. One of them died during the trial, after which proceedings continued against the remaining 10.
The prosecution had sought capital punishment, while the defence requested lesser sentences. The court, however, awarded the death penalty to all 10 accused. The sentences will require confirmation by the High Court, and the convicts have the right to challenge the verdict within 30 days.
Investigators said the attack had been planned well in advance. The Maoists had initially allegedly planned to attack a security force outpost in Minpa, Sukma. However, the plan was subsequently changed following a meeting at Pidia village in Bijapur in February 2013, which was attended by senior Maoist commander Devji, according to the investigation.
The Jhiram Ghati massacre remains one of the most significant Maoist attacks in Chhattisgarh, particularly because several senior political leaders were among those killed.
The trial court’s verdict now sets the stage for proceedings before the High Court, where the death sentences are expected to be challenged.
